OUR MISSION
Jesus said, "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."
– Matthew 25:35
Milford Food Bank is a faith-based organization in Milford, Indiana, dedicated to sharing Christ’s love by rescuing bulk food and distributing it to local and regional food agencies serving those facing food insecurity. We provide essential support to food pantries, community kitchens, shelters, schools, churches, and recovery homes.
Food rescue is a vital component of our organization. The US wastes around 40% of its total food production throughout the food industry and consumption.
Milford Food Bank partners with other food banks and all sectors of the food industry (grocery stores, big-box stores, restaurants, bakeries, etc.) to rescue food that would otherwise be wasted. Excess, damaged, or short-dated food can be rescued and distributed to our partner organizations that serve individuals and families facing food insecurity in their communities.
FOOD RESCUE
FOOD SOURCES
Food is acquired from all over the Midwest and the nation. We are so thankful for the generous companies and organizations that help us provide food to the communities we serve:
Feed the Children, Elkhart, IN
Midwest Food Bank, Indianapolis, IN
Cultivate Food Rescue, South Bend, IN
Maple Leaf Farms, Milford, IN
Baked by Vi, New Paris, IN
Miller Poultry, Orland, IN
E&S Sales, Shipshewana, IN
Kroger Distributions, Bluffton, IN
Saratoga Potato Chips, Fort Wayne, IN
Thomas Trading, Landisville, PA
CIS, Rogers, MN
Campbell's Soup Supply Company, Napoleon, OH
Walmart, Coldwater, MI
Hands of Hope, Joliet, IL
Meijer, Warsaw, IN
Rise 'N Roll, Warsaw & Fort Wayne, IN
Big Lots, Fort Wayne, IN
Starbucks, Columbia City, IN
Door Dash Grocery, Fort Wayne, IN
Courtney's Bakery, Fort Wayne, IN
Honey Baked Ham, Fort Wayne, IN
Donut Experience, Fort Wayne, IN
COSTCO, Fort Wayne, IN
RTI, Fort Wayne, IN
Bailey's Discount, North Judson, IN
Forks, Shipshewana, IN
Red Gold, Elwood, IN
MEANS Database, TX
HOW FOOD MOVES
OUR IMPACT
Community Partnerships and Distribution
On Monday and Friday mornings, we open our distribution center to local and regional organizations that feed, care for, and provide food to individuals and families. On average, we distribute over 400,000 pounds of food each month to over 240 food organizations in 27 counties in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Our distribution partners include food pantries, homeless shelters, community kitchens, recovery homes, school backpack programs, and churches.
OUR HISTORY
Milford Food Bank had a meager beginning in 2010, with just “five items, five pantries and the Lord," which is how Bill Troup, the food bank founder, describes it. God told Bill that it was time for a food bank to get started in Milford, Indiana. With a borrowed trailer, forklift, and building plus a handful of volunteers with open hearts and a lot of faith, the food bank steadily grew.
In 2012, Milford Food Bank operations moved to the warehouse of The Papers, Inc. From this location, we served 50 pantries across 12 counties in Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan. The food bank was abundantly blessed in 2017, with the donation of a 5000 sq. ft. building at the corner of Emeline and James Streets (our current distribution center). Since then, we have continued to use warehouse space in The Papers, while our operations and distributions take place at our location on James Street.
In 2024, we were gifted land across the street to the south and announced plans to expand and build a new facility for warehouse storage, offices, and a dedicated packaging room. In 2025, we broke ground on the project, and in March of 2026, we finished construction and cut the ribbon on our new facility.
Today, we serve over 250 partner organizations across 27 counties. We work with food pantries, community kitchens, recovery homes, churches, and school backpack programs, distributing over 400,000 pounds of food each month.
Milford Food Bank has always depended on donations to operate. Bill's policy was "if it's of the Lord, it can't be stopped." The Milford Food Bank staff, volunteers, and Board of Directors wish to build on the legacy that Bill and his late wife Anne began - one of trust in God to keep supplying our needs through gracious donors, sharing the Word of God, and providing essentials to those in need. To learn more about our building expansion project, click here.
